Foodwatch is a cutting-edge digital platform for food safety and nutrition anchored in Dubai Municipality's vision of making Dubai the healthiest, happiest and the most sustainable city.
The Platform
The Food Safety Department of Dubai Municipality developed the Foodwatch platform to facilitate data exchange between authorities, food businesses, service providers and consumers. By utilizing digital monitoring techniques, data analytics and customized applications, the platform will offer full traceability of foods with validated ingredient and nutritional information. Smart contracts, services and customized applications will deliver every user a unique experience based on their requirements. Digitalized exchange of data will enable delivery of real-time assurance based on predictive insight, from what went wrong to what is likely to go wrong.
The Network
The platform will connect all stakeholders, products and processes in a unique and trusted digital network and make life better for everyone. When it reaches optimum utilization, Foodwatch will fundamentally facilitate trust among parties and decrease transaction costs by reducing duplication, reconciliation, and record-keeping tasks.
The People
A multi-disciplinary team from the Food Safety and Information Technology Departments of Dubai Municipality manages the Foodwatch platform. Authorized personnel from Science Tribune currently manage the data collection process.
Food Safety Mandate
Digital technology has the potential to affect every aspect of food safety, enabling organizations to identify and manage food safety risks more precisely. Foodwatch provides a powerful infrastructure that will not only digitalize documents, procedures and records, but also serve as an interface for real-time interaction. As a single platform that connects all users that includes the government, food establishments and service providers, Foodwatch will help users verify anything and everything with certainty across the food supply chain.
A Digital Identity
Every organization in the system and everyone using the system including the persons in charge (PIC) of food safety in every food establishment, food handlers, consultant, trainers and auditors will have a unique, safe and secure digital identity.
Near Zero Paperwork
Food safety management systems have been largely paper based and it costs both food industry and the government enormous time and resources to maintain and verify records and documents related to these systems. Foodwatch will transform this by building trust around digital, immutable, permanent and auditable record-keeping. Documents related to supplier verification, certification, product and process information, training documents, temperature monitoring records, pest monitoring program, cleaning and disinfection records etc. are some of the examples of documents that would be fully digitalized.
Traditional documents of approvals and permits that can be tampered with or could be lost will be replaced with 'Smart Permits' (inspired by smart contracts).
Data Driven Decisions
By moving to digital records, Foodwatch will open up information silos and enable data sharing and connectivity with other digital ecosystems. This will help Dubai Municipality and the food businesses make data-driven strategies and decisions.
Built in rules and algorithms in the platform will validate information and provide instant decisions and real-time permits. This will significantly improve the services offered by the Food Safety Department.
End to End Traceability
Foodwatch will make it possible to quickly trace food products to their source for enhanced food authenticity and safety. By connecting food producers, processors, distributors, supplier, retailers and regulators and by providing immutable records, Foodwatch will provide enhanced visibility and accountability throughout the food supply chain.
Have a look at the short video to understand more about FoodWatch via 
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Training Certification and Attestation process for Basic Food Hygiene Training and PIC Training will be fully digitalised from the 1st of February 2019.
Training Centres
All Trainining Centres must be registered on Foodwatch and should have the Training Activity listed. Trainers in the centre should be registered under the training centre to access the qualifications.
If there are Internal Trainers, they need to register a separate 'training entity' under the parent entity. Contact the Foodwatch registration team for further information.
Trainers
Trainers must ensure that they are registered as a Technical Expert on Foodwatch with the full profile of qualifications and expertise declared. Once this is done, the trainer can provide qualifications to trainees.
Trainees
PIC of food establishments should enter the data of the Food Handlers under the 'Reference People' tab on the Entity Dossier. Once the data is entered, the PIC can choose the preferred training centre and request for Basic Food Hygiene Training.
Once the request is placed, the training centre can 'accept' the request by confirming the date of training.
Food Safety Mandate
Digital technology has the potential to affect every aspect of food safety, enabling organizations to identify and manage food safety risks more precisely. Foodwatch provides a powerful infrastructure that will not only digitalize documents, procedures and records, but also serve as an interface for real-time interaction. As a single platform that connects all users that includes the government, food establishments and service providers, Foodwatch will help users verify anything and everything with certainty across the food supply chain.
A Digital Identity
Every organization in the system and everyone using the system including the persons in charge (PIC) of food safety in every food establishment, food handlers, consultant, trainers and auditors will have a unique, safe and secure digital identity.
Near Zero Paperwork
Food safety management systems have been largely paper based and it costs both food industry and the government enormous time and resources to maintain and verify records and documents related to these systems. Foodwatch will transform this by building trust around digital, immutable, permanent and auditable record-keeping. Documents related to supplier verification, certification, product and process information, training documents, temperature monitoring records, pest monitoring program, cleaning and disinfection records etc. are some of the examples of documents that would be fully digitalized.
Traditional documents of approvals and permits that can be tampered with or could be lost will be replaced with 'Smart Permits' (inspired by smart contracts).
Data Driven Decisions
By moving to digital records, Foodwatch will open up information silos and enable data sharing and connectivity with other digital ecosystems. This will help Dubai Municipality and the food businesses make data-driven strategies and decisions.
Built in rules and algorithms in the platform will validate information and provide instant decisions and real-time permits. This will significantly improve the services offered by the Food Safety Department.
End to End Traceability
Foodwatch will make it possible to quickly trace food products to their source for enhanced food authenticity and safety. By connecting food producers, processors, distributors, supplier, retailers and regulators and by providing immutable records, Foodwatch will provide enhanced visibility and accountability throughout the food supply chain.
New to Foodwatch?
If you are not familiar with Foodwatch or similar platforms, you are likely to face some difficulties while registering.
Remember these rules of thumb:
- You need a good internet connection while registering to avoid any loss of data.
- You can register yourself on the platform as a new user. Follow the instructions on the page.
- Remember to keep the webpage active during data entry. Leaving it idle for more than a minute would log you out of the system. This is an inbuilt security rule.
- Fields that are mandatory for registration of personnel are identified with * sign. However, there will be some time allowance for users to return and enter new data or correct the data that is provided. The data will be locked in April 2019 after which you will not be able to edit your profile without authorization.
- Once personal registration is complete, you will receive a notification stating that you have been approved as an user. You can then register your organization (entity) and create your organization's profile.
Registration of Organizations (Entities)
Entities including food establishments, service providers and equipment and product suppliers must register on Foodwatch.
You can contact the FoodWatch team for registration and data entry. To reach the Foodwatch agent,
Mail to support@foodwatch.ae
Call +971 4 2230457
Food Safety Department will be conducting regular workshops in different locations of Dubai to enhance the understanding about Foodwatch.
You can book for the next session here Contact Session Booking
To reach the Foodwatch agent for registration or data entry:
Mail to support@foodwatch.ae
Call +971 4 2230457
To reach a Foodwatch agent for registration, call +971 4 2230457, or,
mail to support@foodwatch.ae
To meet Foodwatch agent in person, visit Dubai Municipality Al Kifaf Centre (next to Al Jafliya Metro Station).
The centre is open from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm, Sunday to Thursday.
Location click here
